The Parable of the Pinecones

I learn so much from John as I observe him play and grow. It has been a VERY long winter, and there has usually been 1 or 2 feet of snow covering everything. But finally, it melted and was slightly above freezing so that we could go outside to play. John was enthralled by every little thing he sees. He wants to see, hear, hold, touch, taste... anything within his reach, especially the pine cones.

John tried to stuff as many as possible into his hands, but he kept falling and getting stuck. He wouldn't even move for fear of losing his pine cones. He wouldn't set them down so that he could be free to get up. If John would only let the pine cones go and put them on the ground for a little while, he would be able to stand up by himself . After he was standing and balanced again he would be able to pick the pine cones back up and go merrily on his way. There is an endless supply of pine cones. There will always be pine cones. No matter how long it takes him to stand up he will always be able to find some pine cones. 

But if John won't let them go, then he won't be balanced, and he won't be able to stand up, and he'll just be on the ground trying to hold on to his pine cones. Each time this happens, he cries out or whines because he is stuck. That doesn't help him or anybody else. It isn't fun for him to be stuck on the ground. It would be so much better for him to let go and stand up. He might have to choose from different pine cones after he stands up if those ones exactly are not there. However, pine cones are much alike, and you can find just as much fun with one as with another.  

If John tries to cram so many pine cones in his hand he will have to hold them too tightly and they will be crushed and broken , so it would just be better for him to hold what he can and wait until later. Right now, one pine cone in each hand is all John's little hands are big enough to hold well. If he tries to hold two at a time in each hand, they get squished or bent, or his hand gets cramped, or he drops them both. He doesn't know how to use pockets yet, nor does he have a basket, bucket or bag to assist him. Someday John's hands will be bigger, and he can hold more in each hand, and he will be able to utilize different tools like baskets and pockets to carry more. But for now, 2 pine cones is just the right amount for John in his life, so John must always choose very wisely and only pick the very best and most important pine cones to hold on to.

This experience has been most instructive for me. I have learned that I am very similar to John in the respect that I have been trying to hold on too many activities and things that I feel like are important in my life right now (no matter what) that are keeping me from healing and recovering or just from being balanced. All of the things that I do are like these pine cones. I've been trying to hold too many pine cones in my hands. When I stumble and fall; when I am really down, if I keep trying to hold onto these pine cones, I won't be balanced, and I won't be able to stand up. 

I feel that this experience is a great blessing from the Lord to help me see that I need to set the pine cones down I need to right now cut out those things from my life that are not helping me to heal and recover. I can pick them up later again when I have the balance, and when my hands are free enough. 

Right now I just need to focus on the absolutely essential parts of my life when I am better, and my hands are more free. There will always be pine cones to hold and enjoy. I will find plenty of pine cones, more than enough, and I will have to decide, as I am now, which pine cones are the the best ones to keep in my hands and which ones would be best to just leave on the ground. Perhaps someday I will develop skills to fit these certain activities and things in my pocket or in a basket, these pine cones of mine. However I have also learned from John's childlike wonder of everything that he sees, that if you have too many things in your hand or in your basket you cannot truly dedicate yourself to understanding and seeing the beauty of each thing. It is better to have a smaller basket and put the most beautiful and the most important pine cones in and enjoy them to the fullest and and leave the other ones for the ground. Someone else can enjoy those. 

And it really doesn't matter how many or which pine cones are in anyone else's hands or baskets. Those aren't my pine cones. Those don't need to be mine. I have my own. There are plenty for all. And I will enjoy the ones I have, the ones that fit best in my hands.

I am so thankful for this analogy for this parable given to me. Now instead of feeling so guilty that I cannot do all of the things that I'd like to do, I will assess each activity or opportunity to decide whether or not it can fit in my life. And if not, then I say to myself "It is just another pine cone, and it's ok that it doesn't fit." When people ask me to do things that stretch me too far, or spread me too thin, or that crush or bend my most important pine cones, I will say "No." I don't need to be sorry. It's just a fact that it doesn't fit. I don't need to feel guilty because I am doing what's best by not overloading myself so that I cannot function well.

The Lord has said, do not run faster than you have strength, (Mosiah 4:27) and to run with patience the race that is set before you (Hebrews 12:1). I am starting understand what this means for me. John can only fit one pine cone in each one of his little hands, if he just sticks to those two pine cones, he can walk, and he can run, and he can enjoy the world around him. So I will focus on what matters most. I will be patient and kind to myself, and just carry the most important pine cones that I really need in my life right now so that I can walk and learn to run again.

So, are there any unneeded pine cones that you're clenching that you need to let go of and to set down so that you can be free?